Past News Releases

Due to the growing number of retiring veterans, several things concerning VA benefits are likely to be on the mind of many retired military members. From buying a home using VA Home Loans, to receiving student grants, as well as finding relocation assistance with home purchases - retirement is likely to be put on the back burner, post-retirement. However, for opportunists and business owners, like Garrett Puckett, who is the current CEO of Security America Mortgage, Inc. and Security American Realty, Inc., the hope of simplifying a veterans life is a guaranteed victory.

In recent dates, Garrett Puckett made his VA service-oriented priorities clear by developing a new department which focuses on investment sponsorships for veterans and military personnel who want to invest in their future retirement. Puckett further shared some helpful tips for retirement with veterans (and soon to be retired) military veterans, which in turn provided clear understanding over the terms; "Individual Retirement Account (IRA) Plans" and “401(k) rollovers, how they can be obtained, and why they are useful for veterans immediately following their 401(k) retirement plans.

The 401(k) retirement plan is, “a type of tax-qualified deferred compensation plan in which an employee can elect to have the employer contribute a portion of his or her cash wages to the plan on a pretax basis” (2012). An IRA can be defined as an alternative retirement plan that provides tax advantages in United States, including retirement investments that can continue to grow savings.

For veterans who have recently left a job, having to decide whether or not they want to rollover their 401(k) into an IRA option is probably the last on their list as buying a real estate property, using VA benefits, and other things are likely to take first place on their list of goals. What do IRAs really mean in the broad scheme of things? More Savings and More Money! Period.

There are two types of options to choose from when looking into getting an IRA plan, which are the Traditional IRA Plan, and the Roth IRA Plan.

OPTION 1 - TRADITIONAL IRA PLAN
A Traditional IRA is an investment vehicle that allows individuals to direct pretax income, no greater than IRS annual limits, towards investments that grow tax-deferred. These contributions can sometimes be tax deductible depending on your filing status, income and other factors.

OPTION 2 - ROTH IRA PLAN
A Roth IRA is also an investment vehicle that allows individuals to direct after tax funds towards investments. The contributions are not tax deductible; however, qualified distributions are tax free.

Qualified distributions include the following:
1. It must occur at least five years after the Roth IRA owner established and funded his/her first Roth IRA.

2. At least one of the following requirements must be met:
a) The Roth IRA holder must be at least age 59.5 when the distribution occurs.
b) Distributed assets limited to $10,000 are used towards the purchase or rebuilding of a first home for the Roth IRA holder or a qualified family member.
c) The distribution occurs after the Roth IRA holder becomes disabled.
d) The assets are distributed to the beneficiary of the Roth IRA holder after his/her death.

WHAT IS RETIREMENT ROLLOVER?
A rollover happens when you withdraw cash or other assets from one eligible retirement plan and contribute all or part of it within 60 days to another retirement plan. Though rollovers are not taxable and most are eligible for rollovers, the following types of retirement plans cannot proceed with this option:

1. The nontaxable part of a distribution, such as your after-tax contributions to a retirement plan
(after-tax contributions –some are except from this rule and can be rolled over)

2. A distribution that is one of a series of payments based on your life expectancy, or the joint life

3. Expectancy of you and your beneficiary, or paid over a period of ten years or more

4. A required minimum distribution

5. A hardship distribution

6. Dividends on employer securities

7. The cost of life insurance coverage

With all of the retirement basics reviewed and set aside, veterans can now rely on experts like those from Security America Mortgage, Inc. to take care of their remaining questions and concerns, anywhere from Colorado to North Carolina.

Would you like to know more about getting a VA home loan? Contact a VA Loan Industry Expert near you to secure your future financial savings, mortgage loan, and security in owning a home today!